Diversity, plant growth promoting and downy mildew disease suppression potential of cultivable endophytic fungal communities associated with pearl millet

•Fungal endophytes isolated from leaf, shoot and root of pearl millet varied among different geographic and soil conditions.•All the isolated endophytic fungi belonged to Phylum Ascomycota, among which Fusarium was the most commonly isolated genus.•Molecular authentication and plant growth promoting traits were carried out for representative isolates.•Seed treatment with the endophytes improved the germination percentage and seedling vigour of pearl millet.•Downy mildew incidence was reduced to 36% in endophyte treated seedlings from 89% in control seedlings.